“Your Mom wanted to dance.”
“Dance?”
“She wanted to go to Broadway and dance on the grandest stages alongside the greatest dancers.”
“Did she ever make it to Broadway, at least for an audition?”
“No, her father thought her dancing around the country was the silliest thing he’d ever heard. He told her story after story about women who left the south headed north or out west looking for fame. He discouraged her from pursuing her dancing dream, told her to find a good man who could afford to take care of her, and to put her energy toward being the best housewife, and that’s what she did.”
It was disheartening to hear the pain in my father’s voice as he spoke about Mom’s unfulfilled dreams. “So, your heart was with another woman and Mom’s heart was on Broadway?” I asked, with the full understanding that my golden-aged parents had yet to live the lives they truly desired.
“Yes.”
Upon hearing his admission, I was glad I was a man who went after what he wanted and grabbed it by the horns. I couldn’t imagine suppressing the overwhelming feeling that came over me when I first saw Destiny walking out of Tazi’s in Atlanta. I very well could have walked on by and minded my own business. I could’ve ignored the insatiable draw that pulled me to her, but I went after what I wanted and I didn’t give a damn who knew it. If I’d walked on by, I wouldn’t have experienced some of my best moments of my life.
“How did you make it so many years with neither of you fulfilling your dreams? I don’t get it.”
“Your mother and I, we had some happy years. We adjusted our dreams and created a new norm, which included making a fortune for our family business and, of course, creating you,” Dad said with a smile. “You have always been a bright spot in my life. I’ve always loved you, Son.”
“I love you too, Dad. But I don’t want to see Mom hurt. She has given her life to this marriage. It’s all she knows.”
“I’ve considered that, just as I’ve considered many other things. Just because we spent our lives making unfulfilled investments doesn’t obligate us to continue making deposits in that same account for the rest of our lives. It’s never too late to truly live, and that’s what seeing Clara made me realize.”
“I wish I had a comeback for that, but that is a good point,” I said on a sigh. “I support you in whatever you decide.”
“Thanks, Son, because how I feel is final. Things may seem weird at first, it may hurt even, but it’s for the best,” Dad said standing up. “Now, come on, let’s go get some rest. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives.”
Weariness shadowed his face as we walked out of his study, but there was also a glow of relief starting to shine through. I felt a little better after talking to him. I still didn’t want to see my parents split over Dad being in love with my soon to be mother-in-law.
Chapter 1
Jacob
After the Love is Gone
When I walked into the setting room the next morning after that horrible dinner debacle, the air of bitterness was all around Mom. One by one, she snapped at the maid, hollered at the cook, and was about to tell the gardener to redo the entire flower garden before I stepped in. Mom was taking n
o prisoners as she popped off one order after the next.
“Mickey, I don’t know what you were thinking when you planted my rose bushes so close to the road. I want you to go out there and take every last one of them up and make sure you redo the grass surrounding them too. And do not make my lawn look like a mess! Do you hear me?” Mom said.
“But Ma’am, you’re the one who told me…” Mickey started to say in his defense.
“Do you hear me?” Mom screamed at the top of her lungs, shutting him up before turning her fury to Greta. “And Greta, you know I have allergies!”
“Greta, Mickey, it’s been a rough morning for Mom. You two can go back to your regular duties and we’ll let you know if we need any other special duties done today,” I said nodding in their direction.
“Yes, Sir,” Greta and Mickey said in unison as they eased out of the room.
“Thanks for all you do,” I said with a forced smile, before turning my attention to Mom.
“You have no right to interrupt me! I am the lady of this house and I know how I want things done,” Mom ranted.
“Yeah, but there is no reason for you to talk to Mickey like that and Greta has been nothing but kind to you all these years. She doesn’t deserve your wrath either.”
“If they want to keep their stinky little jobs, they will do what I say and when the hell I say it, Jacob.” Mom stormed toward the doorway and screamed Greta’s name. “Greta, get back in here now!”
Greta hadn’t made it completely out of sight, so she stopped in her tracks and looked back at me. I waved her on and she sped off toward the kitchen and dashed around the corner.